Elevated floor structures have gained much prominise with the advent of computer systems. Such elevated floor structures consists of floors constructed by arranging generally rectangular panels in side-by-side or adjacent fashion into a rectangular array. Generally speaking such panels are supported at their corners by regularly spaced pedestals which in turn are supported on a subfloor. Space between the subfloor and panel floor is available for utility lines, air ducts, computer wire or the like. These panels can be individually removed for servicing.
Generally speaking such prior art pedestal access floor systems need to be levelled. Such prior art levelling devices and systems generally consist of attempting to level the pedestal and floor systems by adjusting from below the floor system prior to placing the floor panels onto the pedestals.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,252 relates to a floor panel having pedestals which support the raised floor. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,291 illustrates a panel resting upon an upper base, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,490 relates to a grid support pedestal which includes a metallic hollow pedestal tube secured to a metallic base plate which rests on the sub floor.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,152 relates to a pedestal column which is threaded having a pedestal adjusting nut.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,910 relates to a system for interlocking the edges and corners of adjacent panels of a pedestal supported elevated floor construction.
These and other prior art systems generally describe complicated structures which are awkward to level the access floor system. Furthermore, such systems must generally be adjusted below the floor panels.
It is an object of this invention to provide a relatively simple structure which is easy to use. It is a further object of this invention to provide an access floor system that can be levelled after the panels have been installed.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide a pedestal adapted to support a floor panel comprising: a base; support structure for supporting said floor panel above said base; and displaceable structure operable between said base and said support structure for selectively displacing said support structure and said floor panel relative said base so as to level said floor panel while said floor panel is supported by said support structure.
It is a further aspect to provide a pedestal for supporting the corners of adjacent floor panels comprising: a base; first and second threadably engageable members extending generally coaxially relative said base; one of said first and second threaded members including: a support extending generally radially outwardly for supporting said corners of said floor panels; engageable structure adapted for threaded rotation of said first threaded member relative said second threaded member so as to select the height of said support relative said base and level said floor panels while said floor panels are supported by said support.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a method of levelling floor panels supported by pedestals at adjacent corners of said floor panels comprising of the steps of positioning said pedestals having telescoping threaded members at the corners of said adjacent floor panels for support said floor panels; accessing said telescoping threaded members by tools capable of threadedly adjusting the height of said telescoping threaded members from above said floor panels.
These and other objects and features of the inventions shall now be described in relation to the following drawings.